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John Mayer Blues


GregN

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Mayer Blues

This is hardly new, the white boy blues of the 60's are enveloped in similiar (and extant) debate. However,

I tend to believe that such an infusion of young talent is a good thing. I also believe that turning young ears toward the blues is a good thing. Many blues nazis will likely poo poo it.

Now, with that said, I have not yet heard the audio. :)

Just thought it was an interesting piece of pop news.

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I'm sure this will get heavy rotation in all the shopping malls, and college bars. :bad:

I'm no blues nazi just someone that thinks Mayer sucks.

I can't get past the fact that Mayer produced some of the most nauseating crap to hit the airwaves since Dave Mathews.

I doubt this will turn very many young ears to the blues. They will soon become disappointed when they realize the blues don't sound like Mayer and go back to the pop bins.

It's easy to talk trash about the shit music that made you millions after it made you millions.

Time will tell how sincere he is.

Edited by catesta
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Funny and interesting reviews

My favorite is "I don't hate this guy anymore". Though the one that bashes him for not doing pop music is also funny. Again, I've haven't heard the CD, so it is possible that I may hate it. However, I was trying to put a positive spin on it. As a working Blues musician, I can tell you that it is hard. Any increase in general blues fanbase seems like a positive move.

Regardless, h as anyone actually heard this thing. Amazon doesn't give samples for some reason <insert your own bash here>. :)

I will tell you this: I believe he does a nice job playing and singing on the Scofield album. He has a nice sense of feel and rhythm on I Don't Need No Doctor. imo

g

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I agree. I don't own any of his own work, but I do have one or two albums on which Mayer guests (including the Sco), and he's always pleasantly surprised me. And he *can* play the guitar, whatever you think of his singing voice or his song writing. It's easy to imagine some parallel universe in which Mayer *didn't* become a pop star but instead became a very well respected studio musician...

Edited by Alexander
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He is definitely a decent musician, but knowing his personality and his career quite well turns me off to essentially everything he does. He is a ball of ego wrapped in a bit of talent, who completely whored himself out to sell records and make girls like him. Knowing this I cant imagine finding any of his work listenable. Sorta like how everytime you read a Wynton interview his work becomes less palatable.

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As much as I hate to say it if you want to sell a lot of records you have to write songs that make girls like you. If all I had to do to get a chance at Jennifer Love Hewitt is write a cheesy love song I'd give it some thought. She wouldn't have to know that I thought the song was a crock of shit.

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I have nothing against John Mayer. As a matter of fact I usually enjoy his guitar playing. I guess what I don't care for is the fact that the giant marketing machine behind him has been constantly bombarding us for the last two years with the fact of what a gifted player he is.

He has already made enough to afford himself a very nice lifestyle. The year he hit, I remember reading that he grossed something like $23 million in record sales, concerts, and various other revenue. John needs to just "Shut up and play his guitar" and let the chips fall where the may. All that said, I'm rooting for him since he has the potential to bring many new fans to the blues or anything else for that matter.

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It's easy to be all for "artistic integrity" when you don't have to worry about putting bread on the table via music.

Part true, part major cop out. If you want to put bread on the table, there are many things that one can do besides perverting music and whoring yourself out to MTV.

And it wasnt like he wasnt doing fairly well before he went total pop anyways. He had bread on the table.

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It's easy to be all for "artistic integrity" when you don't have to worry about putting bread on the table via music.

Part true, part major cop out. If you want to put bread on the table, there are many things that one can do besides perverting music and whoring yourself out to MTV.

And it wasnt like he wasnt doing fairly well before he went total pop anyways. He had bread on the table.

But you're second guessing his motivations. Maybe he really likes blues and thinks he can add something to it. Or maybe he's just whoring himself out. Who knows? It comes down to whether his music sucks or whether it doesn't. I don't really care about someone's motivation behind it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

i'm REALLY impressed by his new record, i was not a fan before but now......i guess i would join his audience if i comes to my town! I knew that he can play guitar nicely! But this is the real deal...it sounds like the real deal! I'm with Jim, i dosent matter for me what going on behind the scenes....it sounds great in the front and i LOVE the album!

:excited:

1+++

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Finally got a listen and I must say I was less impressed than I thought I would be. I have seen him play quite well, but I think his 'personality' is all over this album. And to me, his personality is of a man trying to paly the part of a musician, and essentially a faker. Obviosuly my previous biases (or, accurate assessements I would say) may have carried over, but this album is pretty weak imo.

He sounds like an actor playing the part of a blues musician. Sure, he learned some licks, but he doesnt understand the language of the blues or what the blues REALLY is. I think most of the buzz is based off how bad most people viewed his previous work.

I should also mention that I saw him play live with Herbie Hancock's Headhunters. It truly was embarrasing to have him on a stage with Herbie, Kenny Garrett, Marcus Miller, and others. I think his blues playing is ok, but his funk/jazz playing is downright excruciating.

Different strokes.

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